Wind-powered generator and blade therefor

ABSTRACT

A wind-powered generator includes a vertical rotor provided with generally vertically orientated blades having a swept-forward wing shape, a top lighting member and rotor lighting member disposed along the rotor, the blades being made from light-transmitting material.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is related to the field of wind power generators,and is more particularly directed to such generators that are mountableon top of telecommunication towers or surrounding telecommunicationequipment for supplying electrical power thereto.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Wireless telecommunication installations, such as towers, areproliferating due to market needs. To facilitate this proliferation, andto take additional advantage thereof, the present invention brings aninnovative solution to the cost-effective operation of telecommunicationtowers by enabling the use and installation of renewable energy systemson telecommunication relay towers. More specifically, the presentinvention permits harnessing of wind energy employing wind-poweredgenerators mounted on the telecommunication towers.

The present invention provides energy self-sufficient telecommunicationtowers. Energy production installations composed of wind-poweredgenerators and storage batteries provide an independent source of energyfor telecommunication equipment and even for lighting means for securityand advertising signs. Moreover, the present invention facilitatesprovision, at affordable cost, of basic telecom facilities in remote orisolated areas not served by electricity utilities. However, provisionof such wind power generation facilities, using vertical axis windturbines (VAWT), on telecommunication towers may be difficult usingconventional blades for VAWTs.

There is a considerable body of art relating to VAWTs in terms ofstructure and the blade or vane profiles and their orientation. Forexample, U.S. Pat. No. 7,083,382 to Ursua describes a rotor with itsaxis vertically oriented and having radially extending therefrom one ormore arms each carrying at least one blade movable to effect amodulation of the drag, the object being to reduce drag and to increasetorque. However, the linkages involved in the mounting of the arms andthe blades are complex and accordingly costly.

Another example of VAWT is to be found in U.S. Pat. No. 6,942,454 toOhlmann who proposes a dual rotor system mounted on a support structurerotatable about a third axis on a mounting platform, each rotor systembeing provided with a plurality of rotor blades. The whole assemblycomprising the turbine is again complex in nature and thereforeexpensive to produce and to maintain.

US patent application publication No.: 2008/0095631 to Bertony disclosesa VAWT having a twisted blade or auxiliary blade suitably arrayed toprovide in use for the generation of a venturi inducing gap to extendthe zone of influence of the turbine beyond the maximum radial extent ofthe blades. The relative disposition of the main blades and theirassociated auxiliary blades is crucial to the achievement of the desiredobjective and requires great attention to detail.

Accordingly, there is a need for a simpler improved blade with a profilefor a VAWT.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore a general object of the present invention to provide asimpler improved blade with profile for a VAWT.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide awind-powered generator mountable on a telecommunications tower oradjacent telecommunications equipment.

Advantageously, the present invention provides to telecommunicationtowers independent electrical power for the operation of transmissionand telecommunication equipment thereon.

Another advantage of the present invention is that it is capable ofproviding electrical lighting to the top of telecommunications towersfor visual identification and localisation at night.

A further advantage of the present invention allows for electricity tobe generated without requiring additional supporting infrastructure,thus ensuring a more efficient use of available land for other uses andadditionally reducing visual pollution.

Still another advantage of the present invention is that thewind-powered generator, in some embodiments, includes optionallytransparent wing-shaped blade or foil surface areas which can carrypromotional advertising media such as rotating billboards.

Yet another advantage of the present invention is that it provides awind-powered generator that does not interfere with telecommunicationequipment.

Yet a further advantage of the present invention is that it provideswind blades with a swept-forward wing shape, on at least a portionthereof, to increase the aerodynamic stability and characteristics, forimproved overall performance of the wind-powered generator.

According to an aspect of the present invention there is provided awind-powered generator comprising:

-   -   a vertical rotor provided with generally vertically-orientated        blades;    -   a top lighting member; and    -   rotor lighting members extending along at least part of the        vertical rotor;    -   wherein the blades comprise transparent or translucent skin        materials adapted in use for the transmission of light from said        rotor lighting members.

According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided awind-powered generator comprising:

-   -   a vertical rotor provided with generally vertically-orientated        blades; and    -   each blade having at least a central portion having a        swept-forward wing shape.

In another aspect, the present invention provides a telecommunicationstower comprising a vertical structure having a base adapted foranchorage to the ground and a plurality of radiationtransmission/reception equipments for telecommunications, the towerbeing provided with a standalone wind-powered generator having a rotorwith generally vertically orientated blades, lighting member locatedatop a central mast, the rotor being linked to an electrical generatorsubsystem intended for providing power to telecommunication equipment onthe tower and the lighting member, the wind-powered generator being madeof non-conducting material thereby in use avoiding electromagneticinterference with telecommunication equipments.

The top lighting member may be of conventional form for identification,danger or warning purposes, and accordingly may be illuminated on aregular intermittent basis such as a flashing or rotating light.

The rotor lighting member may be in flexible strip form wound helicallyaround the rotor to provide light along its length.

The blades are conveniently of aerofoil contour for aerodynamicefficiency and are produced from a transparent or translucent materialin order to transmit the light from the rotor lighting member. Thematerial may conveniently in use carry advertising which is illuminatedby said rotor lighting member or integral lighting member within theblades.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will becomeapparent from a careful reading of the detailed description providedherein, with appropriate reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will becomeapparent from a careful reading of the detailed description providedherein, with appropriate reference to the accompanying drawings, inwhich similar references used in different Figures denote similarcomponents, and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a wind-powered generator in accordancewith an embodiment of the present invention mounted on the top of atelecommunication tower; and

FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the embodiment of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

With reference to the annexed drawings, the preferred embodiment of thepresent invention will be herein described for indicative purpose and byno means as of limitation.

Referring to the drawings, a wind-powered generator, shown generally as20, is mounted on a generally vertical tower structure 36 or the liketypically having a base adapted for anchorage to the ground and aplurality of radiation transmission/reception equipments 37 fortelecommunications. The generator 20 is composed of at least onewing-shaped blade assembly 22 mounted on a supporting structure 30. Thesupporting structure 30 includes a main mast 32 and a rotor shaft 34which is driven by the wing-shaped blades 22 and the supportingstructure 30 assemblies, which rotates due to the force of the wind,shown by arrow 38. The blade assembly 22, or at least a central portionthereof, possesses a shape which is a swept-forward wing 24. Optionaltop 26 and bottom 28 straight blade extensions, or end portions of theblade assembly 22, can be installed for enhancing the performance of thewind-powered generator 20. Also depicted in FIG. 1 are top lightingmember 42 linked by an electrical wire 40 to the electrical generator46. The electrical wire 40 also provides lighting means or members alongthe rotor shaft 34. Top lighting member 42 act as visual identificationand localisation signs at night for security purpose, such as a flashingor a rotating red light. FIG. 1 also shows advertising signs 44 printedon the external skin of wing-shaped blades 22. Although not specificallyillustrated, some rotor lighting means or members could be carried bythe blades 22 and powered by the electrical generator 46. Optionally,the blade skin could be made of transparent or translucent materials.The wing-shaped blades can integrate internal lighting members thatcould provide illumination for advertising signs 44 which could beeasily seen from large distance, serving as rotating billboards forpromotional purposes. The wind-powered generator 20, and in particularthe blade assemblies 22 and the support structure 30, are preferablymade of non-conducting material for avoiding electromagneticinterference with telecommunication equipments 37.

Although the present invention has been described with a certain degreeof particularity, it is to be understood that the disclosure has beenmade by way of example only and that the present invention is notlimited to the features of the embodiments described and illustratedherein, but includes all variations and modifications within the scopeand spirit of the invention as hereinafter claimed.

1. A wind-powered generator comprising: a vertical rotor provided withgenerally vertically-orientated blades; a top lighting member; and rotorlighting members extending along at least part of the vertical rotor;wherein the blades comprise transparent or translucent skin materialsadapted in use for the transmission of light.
 2. A wind-poweredgenerator according to claim 1 wherein the top lighting member are ofconventional form for identification, danger or warning purposes.
 3. Awind-powered generator according to claim 2 wherein the top lightingmember is a flashing light of suitable hue.
 4. A wind-powered generatoraccording to claim 2 wherein the top lighting member is a rotating lightof suitable hue.
 5. A wind-powered generator according to claim 1wherein the rotor lighting members is in flexible strip form woundhelically around the rotor to provide light along its length.
 6. Awind-powered generator according to claim 1 wherein the blades are oraerofoil contour and are produced from transparent or translucentmaterial.
 7. A wind-powered generator according to claim 6 wherein theblade material is adapted to carry advertising.
 8. A wind-poweredgenerator according to claim 1 wherein the blades are provided withintegral internal lighting.
 9. A wind-powered generator comprising: avertical rotor provided with generally vertically-orientated blades; andeach blade having at least a central portion having a swept-forward wingshape.
 10. A wind-powered generator according to claim 9, furthercomprising: a top lighting member; and rotor lighting members extendingalong at least part of the vertical rotor; wherein the blades comprisetransparent or translucent skin materials adapted in use for thetransmission of light from said rotor lighting members.
 11. Atelecommunications tower comprising a vertical structure having a baseadapted for anchorage to the ground and a plurality of radiationtransmission /reception equipments for telecommunications, the towerbeing provided with a standalone wind-powered generator having a rotorwith generally vertically orientated blades, lighting member locatedatop a central mast, the rotor being linked to an electrical generatorsubsystem intended for providing power to telecommunication equipment onthe tower and the lighting member, the wind-powered generator being madeof non-conducting material thereby in use avoiding electromagneticinterference with telecommunication equipments.